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Netizens Angry Over NTU’s Elitist Email

An e-mail sent out by Nanyang Technological University’s (NTU) School of Humanities and Social Sciences (HSS) to its final-year students has raised the ire of a number of undergraduates and netizens.

Last Wednesday, Mr Joel Chong, a final-year student at the HSS, uploaded a screen-shot of the e-mail, which asked for inspirational stories from its undergraduates.

Besides stories from prodigies, outstanding undergraduates with multiple job offers awaiting them, and those who have overcome great odds, the school also asked for stories from “graduating VIP students from an important or well-known family, sons or daughters of politicians, professors, celebrities etc”.

That line has angered a number of netizens, and Mr Chong’s post has since garnered more than 400 likes and over 700 shares.

Speaking to The New Paper yesterday, Mr Jonathan Ang, 23, a third-year student at HSS, said: “Why does it even matter what your surname is? That group shouldn’t even be there at all, it’s not about phrasing but the subject matter itself that is wrong.”

Miss Emi Morihata, 21, a third-year student at NTU’s Wee Kim Wee School of Communications and Information, was also disappointed with the HSS.

“Their view of ‘inspirational stories’ is so superficial.

“The fact that they are setting these narrow-minded measurements as indicators of an eligible candidate already shows that they are just doing it for the sake of publicity to showcase the school.

“Graduation is a celebration of the students who have worked hard through the years. If they really want to highlight these hardworking people who overcame challenges during their academic life, such indicators won’t be on the e-mail in the first place.”

Responding to Mr Chong’s Facebook post last week, a spokesman for NTU felt he had been unfair in singling out the particular line, causing “the spirit and meaning of our open request for nominations” to be “misinterpreted and distorted”.

Responding to queries from TNP yesterday, an NTU spokesman said: “We understand the concerns raised and it was never our intention to focus on only individuals of certain backgrounds.

“The highlighted line could have been better phrased.

“Convocation is a celebration of our students’ achievements and knowledge, and as always, we will be as inclusive as possible and portray this by featuring stories of students from all walks of life.”

Sociologist Tan Ern Ser felt the line in the e-mail suggested elitism.

“In a meritocratic society, we celebrate achieved status – that is, achieved through individual merit, ability and diligence – rather than social background, which is not within our control.

“Highlighting a person’s social background is not only elitist but also contrary to our core values.

“Perhaps, the ones who penned those requirements have good reasons for doing so, and I am sure many would like to know what those reasons are,” he said.

Source: www.tnp.sg

April 11, 2017
Malaysia Foreign Ministry Notes Apology, Why Zed Zaidi Still Barking?

The common perception is that people from you can trust people from your own race and religion more than you can trust others of different background. Seems like Zed Zaidi is on a one-man mission to dispel this notion. He is really trying his darndest to make life difficult for Singaporean Malay artistes in Malaysia, to limit their working opportunities there. Bangsa, bahasa, budaya, agama dan karya taruk tepi….

I think what everyone wants to know, Malaysians and Singaporeans alike, is, what’s wrong with him????

He doesn’t accept the apology. So what? Zed Zaidi thinks he is more powerful and influential than he actually is. Najip Ali and other Singaporean artistes can continue to earn a living because they have the talent and the dedication.

Even Malaysia Foreign Ministry also noted the apology already and stated its wish that something like that do not re-occur, to preserve the good ties between the two countries?

Zed Zaidi thinks he is more important that the foreign ministry?

Empty vessels make the most noise.

Seniman Seniwati

Reader Contribution

April 11, 2017
30 People Evacuated From Clementi Mall After Car Catches Fire At Basement Carpark

About 30 people were evacuated from a mall in Clementi on Sunday (April 9) afternoon after a car caught fire in the carpark.

The fire occurred at about 1.15pm at the entrance of the carpark at The Clementi Mall, Lianhe Wanbao reported on Monday (April 10).

The vehicle caught fire suddenly as it was entering the carpark at the basement, and the driver escaped just in time, Wanbao said.

Smoke from the fire activated the fire alarms and building security evacuated the customers and stallholders in the mall.

A food stall vendor in her 40s, who gave her name as Madam Zhang, told Wanbao: “I first heard the fire alarm. Then, security came to tell us that there was a fire, and told us not to panic and walk to the first floor.

“Later, when I reached the escalator, I smelled smoke and saw black smoke coming out of the carpark.”

An employee at a pet store who gave his name as Mr Weijie, 26, said that he had initially thought it was a fire drill.

“After that, a regular customer told me that a car was on fire at the entrance, and I realised it was real,” he said.

The fire involved the engine compartment of the vehicle, the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) told The Straits Times.

SCDF was alerted at 1.15pm and dispatched two fire engines, two Red Rhinos and two support vehicles.

It extinguished the fire using fire extinguishers, a compressed air foam backpack and an internal hose reel.

Approximately 30 people were evacuated by building security, SCDF said.

There were no reported injuries, and the cause of the fire is being investigated.

Rilek1Corner

Source: http://www.straitstimes.com

April 10, 2017
Serangan Pengganas Adalah Ujian Sebenar Kepada Pembangunan Singapura – Ng Eng Hen

Bagaimana rakyat Singapura memberi respons apabila berlaku serangan pengganas akan menguji pembangunan Singapura selama 50 tahun, menurut Menteri Pertahanan Ng Eng Hen.

Beliau berkata demikian pada Ahad (9 Apr) di siri pertama majlis pengiktirafan bagi meraikan 50 tahun Perkhidmatan Negara (NS).

Bercakap di majlis yang diadakan di Safra Toa Payoh, Dr Ng merujuk kepada insiden-insiden yang berlaku di beberapa bandar Eropah dan menegaskan bahawa apa yang harus terlintas dalam fikiran rakyat Singapura apabila mereka mendapat tahu tentang serangan sedemikian ialah “apa yang kita ada di sini adalah sangat berharga”.

Beliau menarik perhatian bahawa menteri pertahanan pertama Singapura Goh Keng Swee juga membayangkan bahawa Perkhidmatan Negara (NS) bukan sahaja sebagai cara untuk mempertahankan Singapura tetapi juga bagi membangunkan negara dan mengeratkan rakyat.

Sekarang ini, di tengah-tengah “serangan yang jelas dan nyata”, termasuk serangan pengganasan dan siber, keluarga juga memainkan “peranan penting” dalam menyokong anggota Perkhidmatan Negara dan Pertahanan Mutlak menjadi bertambah relevan lagi, kata Dr Ng.

Sejumlah 52 majlis pengiktirafan bakal diadakan oleh Persatuan Rakyat (PA) sehingga bulan depan.

Pada Ahad, Dr Ng juga menyampaikan Pakej Pengiktirafan NS50 yang pertama, termasuk baucar S$100, kepada hampir 100 pasangan ayah dan anak lelaki yang menetap di Toa Payoh.

Bagi menekankan tumpuan kempen NS50 sepanjang tahun, yang bertemakan From My Generation to Yours – sebuah naratif yang dipetik bagi menunjukkan evolusi NS – Dr Ng menyamakan penyerahan tanggungjawab NS, dari bapa kepada anak lelaki, seperti menghulurkan baton dalam satu perlumbaan.

Rilek1Corner

Source: http://berita.mediacorp.sg

April 10, 2017
Discrimination Against Muslimahs Wearing Tudung Is The Number 1 Factor Inhibiting Them From The Nursing Profession

AsSalaam’alaikum!

There is a convoluted reasoning when it comes to the tudung. It is said that those who are calling for the end to the discrimination against tudung clad women are putting pressures upon Muslimah nurses such that these nurses are put into a spotlight thereby somehow such talk of tudung has disadvantanged and discouraged them from doing their work. The reasoning further goes to say that nursing is fardhu kifayah and thus must be encouraged.

It is as if those calling for a stop to the ongoing discrimination are somehow at fault of inhibiting a fardhu kifayah which would benefit the society of which nursing is a prime example.

Such a reasoning is flawed and can only be thought of by a muslim PAP cadre member who is trying to be too smart by half. Such reasoning ignores the fact that in the first place, it is the discrimination against muslimahs wearing tudung which is the number 1 factor inhibiting them from the profession which is a fardhu kifayah. Again to be clear, the fact is that those who promote and enforce the current policy of discrimination not allowing muslimahs to don the tudung are the ones inhibiting fardhu kifayah. Not to mention such discrimination against women belongs to the Dark Ages of Europe not the 21st century anywhere in the world.

The fact is that the ongoing discrimination against women due to them choosing to wear the tudung is the policy denying them all sorts of working opportunities and professions. Such discrimination is totally indefensible. And yet some foolish people persist in their stupidity and indeed they are actually encouraging transgression against the Islamic prescription of covering the aurah. Their argument is invalid and exposes them as defiant of the Commands of Allah swt and the teachings of our beloved Prophet s.a.w.

And as for the Muslim men who make such convoluted arguments and therefore allow such discrimination to continue, their hypocrisy lies in the fact that their own wives don the tudung in public.

Allahu Musta’an!

Rilek1Corner

Source: Ustaz Abd’ Al-Halim

April 10, 2017